Hizbollah says wants Israeli pullout for ceasefire

DUBAI, Aug 3 (Reuters) Hizbollah's deputy leader today said his group would not accept a ceasefire that did not include the withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Lebanese soil.

''An end of (Israeli) aggression means three things: firstly a ceasefire, secondly the return of those evicted, and third of al the departure of Israel from any land it might have occupied,'' Naim Kassem, in remarks to Al Jazeera television.

He told the Arab television station that if Israel thought it could gain leverage from its presence on the ground, it was ''deluded''.

The United States, France and Britain have been working for a UN Security Council resolution that would call for a truce between Israel and Hizbollah and maybe strengthen existing UN peacekeepers until a more robust force can be formed, UN officials said.

Kassem said Hizbollah would regard any Israeli troops in Lebanon as occupation forces and would ''resist occupation forces'' even if there was a ceasefire.

He said the group still had significant ''missile power'' 23 days into the conflict with Israel and its fighters were still determined.

Israel says its air and ground attacks have dealt the guerrilla group a heavy blow.

Kassem refused to comment on the possible deployment of international forces, saying his group gives priority to the end of the Israeli ''aggression''.

''We will give our opinion through the right channel and we do not wish to discuss these matters through the media or get into a Byzantine argument on how decision should be made an by whom ... '' he added.

The war started after Hizbollah snatched two Israeli soldiers in a raid across the border on July 12.

Kassem reiterated that Hizbollah was still interested in indirect negotiations with Israel for the exchange of prisoners.

REUTERS SBA KN2346